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Not many people recall that the famous 1950's TV kids show got it's start on radio. Buffalo Bob, Clarabelle the clown and the whole gang showed up on radio to enchant children with the same live audience the TV show had...of coarse it would become the big hit once it was on TV but it still fun to listen to its early shows...Here from August 16th, 1952.... 
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Trying to get back into the swing of posting regularly again....What better way then to visit everyone's favorite English teacher Connie Brooks and the whole gang at Madison High School.....First episode has Miss Brooks doing some babysitting with 3 babies!! and the next what could wrong with the student bank give Miss Brooks a chance figure that out! Both very funny episode with always wry and witty Eve Arden. ENJOY!  A great episode that showed Bill Conrad's amazing radio acting skills many believe that his peformance as Matt was one of the absolute best radio characters of the Golden Era. The perfect actor for the perfect role!!!....Matt for Murder from 1954...Enjoy  Doc Addams was a gruff old country Doctor who complained about Dodge and how he should have stayed East and made a fortune. Played wonderfully by Howard McNair, Doc was named after Charles Addams who had the "Addams Family" cartoons which appear in magazines in the 1950's. Loyal to his friends and always honorable to his oath to help the sick and dying Doc was Matt Dillon most trusted friend and confidant. Howard McNair would appear on countless radio shows though the Golden Age but his role as Doc was best known character. Later in the 1960's he would appear on the Andy Griffith Show as barber Floyd. Here is a great Doc centered episode...enjoy!  Gunsmoke's writing and direction were outstanding but it was held together by the fine acting! One of the constantly great performances was by Parly Baer (who was one of the busiest voice actors in the buisness!!) as Chester. Chester was Marshall Dillon's right hand man not only his deputy but his friend and number one fan, Dillon trusted very few people and with Chester's bumbling at times it you seem the Marshall's faith was miss placed but with Chester Matt had not only a great ally but a brother. First aired January 15, 1955 here is a great episode featuring Chester...  A first for radio was having a character like Miss Kitty (Russell) played by Georgia Ellis on Gunsmoke; never said but implied to the adult ear was the fact that Kitty was a prostitute a somewhat common career of women who ventured to the frontier. Tired cowboys and ranchers looked for the comfort of a woman and ladies like Kitty filled that need. But Kitty was seasoned and smart and became a saloon owner (Long Branch) also again never mentioned but implied a Madame to young girls that stumbled into Dodge City. Another never mentioned was how close of a friendship Marshall Dillon and Kitty had, they were very close and may have been secretly in love but Meston wrote the scripts not say or refute. Kitty was a important character and help to change the female characters that followed in films, TV and radio....This is the first apperance of Kitty on Gunsmoke from May 10th, 1952.  Here is the last episode of 4 of the excellent Tribute to the King of OTR Comedy Jack Benny!!! Many people don't know that the part that wow George Burns his Oscar for best supporting actor in the Sunshine Boys was originally going to go Jack. Jack died before filming was to start and George stepped in for his longtime friend. It reignited George Burns career and he went on to star in a series film playing God in " Oh, God!" and having very successful run in Las Vegas.  Here is the 3rd part of the Tribute to Jack Benny from NPR....Mel Blanc was a regular provider on the program and provided the voice of Polly the Parrot and did all the sound effects of Jack's beloved Maxwell Car.  We continue on with the excellent NPR Tribute to Jack Benny...Here is part 2 from Jan of 1974... Did you know that Jack Benny who was happily married to co-star Mary Livingstone for 50 years had a provision in his will that after his death she would have one long stem rose delivered to her everyday for the rest of her life! Benny Died in 1974 and Livingstone in 1983.  Here is a great Tribute to Jack Benny that NPR did on the Star soon after his passing....Today is part One showcasing some incredibly funny moments from the funny man's long career.  |
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